DaytonDailyNews.com

BOWLING GREEN — The Miami University hockey team bounced back in a big way on Saturday night.

Coming off a disappointing loss to host Bowling Green on Friday, the top-ranked RedHawks salvaged a split of the weekend series with an impressive 5-2 win in front of a crowd of 3,341 at BGSU Ice Arena.

Miami broke a 2-all tie late in the second period then continued its late dominance with two goals in the third to improve to 19-3-0 overall and 11-3-0 in the Central College Hockey Association. BG fell to 9-9-0, 6-6-0.

"The difference tonight is that we put together more minutes of good hockey," Miami junior Bill Loupee said. "Coach (Enrico Blasi) stressed before the game going out and playing 60 minutes. That's what we did."

Loupee and Alexandre Lacombe each had a goal and an assist and linemate Justin Vaive added three helpers for the RedHawks.

Brian Kaufman, Justin Mercier and Alec Martinez also scored for Miami.

Loupee tallied what turned out to be the game-winner just 56 seconds after Bowling Green's David Solway tied the game at 2.

"It was so important," Loupee said. "Because BG just got so much momentum from that tying goal and got the fans into it. It let them feel like they had some hope. To be able to answer back right way was kind of a shock to them."

Mercier scored 4:41 into the third and Martinez scored on a slapshot from the left point with 7:54 left. Miami has outscored the opposition 41-5 in the third period.

"It's just been a mentality of ours to finish strong and play 60 minutes," Miami coach Enrico Blasi said. 'Give credit to the guys and their leadership. They're the ones that are doing it in the locker room and making sure guys are ready to go."

Goalkeeper Jeff Zatkoff certainly was ready, one night after being pulled after two periods. Zatkoff finished with 26 saves to improve to 15-3-0.

"We knew he would respond after last night," Blasi said. "We didn't pull him because he played bad last night. We kind of left him hanging. We knew he'd come out and play hard and play well, and he did."

Pat Cannone, Carter Camper, Jarod Palmer and Vincent LoVerde had assists for the RedHawks.

Kaufman and Lacombe scored less than four minutes into the game to put Miami up 2-0. BG's Mike Nesdill made it 2-1 at the 8:38 mark of the first.

Injury update

The RedHawks played without junior defenseman Ray Eichenlaub, who injured his shoulder on a check from behind by BG's Kai Kantola in Friday night's game. Blasi said Eichenlaub will undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury.

Miami continues to skate without senior Nathan Davis, one of college hockey's elite players.

Davis, a left wing, missed his seventh straight game Saturday with back spasms. Davis, who led the RedHawks and ranked ninth nationally with 50 points last season, has played in only eight games this season.

Up next

The RedHawks wrap up their eight-game excursion away from home with a CCHA series Friday and Saturday at Nebraska-Omaha. The RedHawks swept the Mavericks 7-2, 5-2 earlier this season in Oxford.